Since Always
by DancesWithSeatbelts
Summary: A collection of Nalu drabbles and short stories; fun, sweet and fluffy ratings range from k to teen. Settings include canon and AUs; featuring the Nalu friendship, relationship and romance. Haven't they always been there for each other, since always? Thanks to impracticaldemon for her help in editing/polishing!
1. Ribbon

_**A/N: Some readers may remember this drabble from before - but all the stories in this new collection have been edited (and very much improved) by impracticaldemon (here on FF dot net, AO3 and tumblr). Check her out and you won't be disappointed!**_

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Asuka sat bouncing impatiently on the edge of Lucy's bed while the blonde mage searched for the little girl's favourite ribbon. Happy had been dispatched to retrace their earlier steps. All over the apartment, the young woman ransacked her belongings, checking for the scrap of bright ribbon that was Asuka's good luck charm.

"Natsu! Did you double check the bathroom?" Lucy called loudly. She knelt down to look under the couch and when her partner suddenly lifted up one end, she jerked back and banged her head on the corner of the coffee table. "Ow! That hurt! You're supposed to be looking for the ribbon in the bathroom."

"Sorry Luce." Natsu dropped the couch and drew Lucy to her feet, running his fingers through her hair and pressing them lightly against her skull. "I don't feel any lumps or bumps, but try to be more careful. Weirdo." He turned around and went back to searching for Asuka's ribbon. "I already checked and double checked the bathroom. It's not there."

He didn't see Lucy blush and close her eyes, giving a little shiver in delayed reaction to his touch. Nor had Lucy seen or heard Natsu discretely sniff her hair when he'd so carefully examined her hurt. Neither mage saw the little girl who had become impatient with waiting, witness their tender scene. Asuka smiled gleefully and tip-toed back to Lucy's bedroom.

A moment later, Happy flew through the open window and landed on the bed: "I found your lucky ribbon!"

"Thank you! Thank you!" Asuka clapped her hands. "I wanna give this to Lucy! She needs to get lucky!"


	2. Gravity is a Harsh Mistress

"Isn't this great?" Natsu stretched and yawned. "Don't you wish you'd agreed sooner?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, "Hmmpphh. Technically I didn't agree, so much as I lost a bet." She was lying on her back, with her side pressed against Natsu from head to toes. He'd given her the softer pillow and a matching blanket. The pillow he was using was actually just a case, lumpy with bulges and not very full. Happy was currently sleeping on Lucy's feet.

Struggling to pull the cover up higher, she yanked harder and started the hammock swinging again. "Crap!" Lucy gave up on the blanket and muttered "Sorry!" at Happy, who grumbled at being kicked. Counting to ten, Lucy inhaled and exhaled several deep breaths. "Natsu? How can you be comfortable in this thing?"

"Weirdo. How can you _not_ be comfortable?" He shifted his weight and started a gentle swinging motion. "Isn't this relaxing?"

"Seriously? Natsu, you've got to be kidding - we're squished together and I can't get my blanket up any higher. Plus, Happy is cutting off the circulation to my feet and I think I gotta pee again." Lucy struggled in frustration. "I gotta get up - I need to use the facilities." She shifted her legs out from under the exceed and half fell, half jumped out of the hammock. Rubbing her bruised butt cheek, Lucy stumbled to the bathroom followed by Natsu's laughter.

She returned shortly after to find Happy still pleased by her struggles.

"Natsu, Lucy is a terrible hammock sleeper," Happy chortled. "Her butt was making the whole hammock sag."

"Shut up cat!"

Happy flew out of reach of the irritated blonde and perched on one of the rafters.

"Calm down Luce! Jump back in and I'll let you tell me a bedtime story."

"Gee thanks, that's so kind of you." Lucy said a short prayer under her breath asking for deliverance from rude cats and obtuse boys. She threw a leg over and pushed down as she tried to leap into the hammock.

"Dammit! Get off me! You weigh a tonne!" Lucy had ended up flat on her back, covered with a half-naked best friend and his makeshift pillow. "You'll have to help me in first again," Lucy sighed. "I can't even imagine why you'd want to have me sleep over when my bed is so much larger and more comfortable."

Natsu rolled off Lucy and jumped to his feet, extending a hand. With a rueful grin, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. "Here's your pillow!" Lucy picked it up by a corner, and then gasped as it spilled it's contents all over the floor. Plain panties, fancy panties, new ones, old ones, assorted varieties, all having one common factor: they were Lucy's panties - panties that had gone missing over the course of her friendship with Natsu.

"Run Natsu! I don't wanna be an orphan!" Happy shouted, "I'd miss you!"


	3. Sterling Characteristics

If there was one adjective you could use to describe Natsu Dragneel, it would have to be strong, Lucy decided. He had a crazy amount of raw magical power and special techniques that combined his dragon slayer abilities with a huge list of combat spells. He was undeniably strong to master such things - eating Laxus' lightning and making it his own? Absolutely amazing.

Come to think of it, though, Natsu was also caring. That was another good trait, right? Lucy was sure he cared about his nakama and even just acquaintances. After all, he'd stormed into the lair of Sabertooth at the Grand Magic Games and called out their master for the man's treatment of Yukino. That took guts and commitment and showed he was a special person.

Natsu was a promise keeper too, Lucy reflected to herself. She'd never known him to fail to do something he'd said he would. He tried his hardest and always came through for her and their guild mates. She'd lost track of the times he'd saved her life. Lucy chewed on the end of her pen, musing on a few occasions when she'd repaid the favour.

Smiling to herself, Lucy thought about just how hard Natsu fought for the things he believed in. He never quit, not on himself or on her. The more she thought about it, the more Lucy realized that Natsu was special. There was no one other person who embodied so many of the same positive qualities. Sure, Natsu had some quirks and foibles - he'd basically been raised in the wild and by a dragon no less! He didn't quite get the finer nuances of human inter-personal relationships - he was forever sneaking into her bed - but he always pulled through for nakama.

This is what Lucy was thinking of as she wrote another letter to her mother. She poured out her heart to the woman beyond the reach of mortal hands. Her missive detailed all the sterling characteristics of her partner, as she scrawled page after page of accolades for her best friend to the woman who would have treated him as a child of her heart.

Lucy found herself finally slowing down and considered how to end her letter. Biting her lip, she gripped her pen tight and listened to the steady beat of her heart. I love being his partner. You would have loved Natsu too, I know that I wrote earlier that he's got issues with human-interpersonal relationships...but as long as I have him, I don't need or want anyone else. Love, Lucy.


	4. Twister Take II

Happy watched as Natsu tried to reach the yellow circle with his left foot. Lucy was giggling and not making it easy for the dragon slayer; she was being sneaky and trying to push him off-balance at every opportunity.

"Luce! Stop taking up so much space!" Natsu growled, "I'm about to win!"

"Natsu! Don't you dare say things like that to a lady!" She frowned and blew a huff of air to dislodge hair from her eyes. "I'm getting tired of this game anyhow."

Happy chortled, "Lushi takes up space 'cause she's fat!" He flew over to the other side of the couple playing twister to watch the anger rise in the blonde's eyes. "An' you're tired 'cause you're out of shape! Fu fu fu!"

"Did you coach him to taunt me?" Lucy turned her malevolent glare on Natsu as she detected his shoulders shaking in an attempt to keep his laughter silent. "I would forfeit this game and kick your dumb ass cat, but I'm going to win and we will take the next mission together that I decide."

Natsu dropped down and pulled Lucy onto his lap. He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Happy is jealous." Natsu pressed his lips to Lucy's neck and nuzzled her. "Do you remember the first game of Twister that we played?" He chuckled, low and rumbling.

"Wah! I'm still here! I can hear you!" Happy made faces and threw down the spinner wheel. "I don't need to be traumatized all over again!" He hovered in the air, watching his two humans embrace. "I hear Charle calling me - see ya!"

Natsu lightly bit the side of his mate's neck. "Do you remember?"

Lucy sighed and relaxed further into Natsu's arms. "Let's see, I'm three months pregnant and we played Twister three months ago." She ran her fingers through his spiky hair and continued wryly: "I remember."


End file.
